Country music is coming out of a wildly pop influenced phase in the last few years. For about 15-20 years, classic counrty (including 90s country) was dead, and pop took over. Female artists were labeled "pop" and males singing the same crap were labeled "country". Taylor Swift's official change from Country to Pop really drove that home. Strip the male vocals from any country song from 2000 to 2015, and you could add female vocals for a total pop radio hit.

But then we start seeing guys like Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton, Billy Strings, Cody Johnson, Josh Turner and Tyler Childers playing something that sounds more like an updated version of good country music. There's a lot of next generation bands like the Wild Feathers and Midland, also.

I can't identify many of these guys by appearance since I don't watch CMT videos or buy Country Music Magazines like I might have in the 90s, but I know I'm liking their music more and more.

George Strait is the king of Country, but his show is 90 minutes of nostalgia. Do you want to relive every night out at Denim and Diamonds (aka Graham Central Station) in the 90s, or do you want to create some new memories with Chris Stapleton? No wrong answer there.

Oh, and when I want to drink beer, hear about trucks, dirt roads, Mexico, and any Texas river, there's a whole other type of country.......

Milwaukees Best Light said:

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George Strait is lame in concert. Just put on a GS playlist and save a bunch of money on the same thing. No energy, no stories, no new takes on old songs. Just him standing up there doing his hits just like you hear on the radio.

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Sounds awesome. You don't have to try and sell it to me.